Inside, Princess Esra’s celebrated restoration continues to evolve through new conservation efforts. Hand-painted frescoes, Venetian chandeliers, and gilded ceilings shimmer with renewed vitality. The Jade Room — with its revived Chinoiserie walls and rare curation of jade objets — feels more enchanting than ever. The famed dining hall, with its 101-seat table, remains one of India’s most astonishing ceremonial rooms, now complemented by immersive evening programming that re-creates elements of the Nizam’s courtly traditions, including classical Hindustani performances and stories of state banquets once held beneath its colossal chandeliers.
The palace library, inspired by Windsor Castle, now offers a bespoke “Archivist’s Hour,” where guests explore manuscripts, colonial-era photography, and personal letters from the Nizam dynasty — an extraordinary, newly introduced window into Hyderabad’s layered history.
In quiet contrast to the ceremonial spaces, the 46 rooms and 14 suites offer intimacy and calm. Antique furnishings, Italian marble baths, curated artworks, and custom fragrances infused with jasmine and oud create retreats where history feels like a whisper rather than a monument. Several of the Palace Rooms were recently refreshed with handwoven textiles from local artisans, part of Taj’s ongoing commitment to supporting craftspeople of Telangana.
Days unfold in a measured rhythm. The Jade Room’s afternoon tea — now accompanied by a harpist on select days — remains a highlight. Garden walks reveal new botanical plantings that pay homage to the palace’s original layout, while the Royal Jiva Spa introduces Ayurvedic therapies once reserved for the Nizam family, including the palace-exclusive Nawabi Signature Treatment.